


(Under)Cover letters

by Skylar_Matthews



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Full Cast - Freeform, co-write
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2014-11-06
Packaged: 2018-02-24 07:57:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2574041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylar_Matthews/pseuds/Skylar_Matthews
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Team Prime gets some new arrivals, but how will their presence change things?</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Under)Cover letters

**Author's Note:**

> New story, even though this part has been written for about a year. Hopefully I get back to my other stuff soon but have this in the meantime. Enjoy!^-^

"Incoming!"

"Autobot or Decepticon?" Jack asked as everyone on base gathered around Ratchet.

"Neither, as far as I can tell," the medic answered without looking away from the console controls. "It's Cybertronian though, but old Cybertronian. I didn't think any of those ships were even still running, much less could make it all the way to Earth."

"So what? It's like an exploration vessel from before the war or something?" Arcee suggested.

"Perhaps," Ratchet agreed, his mood souring at the next thought. "And that's just what we need, non-combatants landing in the middle of an active warzone."

"Then we should be there to greet our fellow bots and offer what protection we can before the Decepticons can find them," Optimus spoke up. "Do you know where they'll land yet?"

"Not yet. I can't get a proper fix -blasted human technology," at that he hit the side of the console, almost gently, "there we go and -oh scrap. They're coming in way faster than they should and that angle puts us literally right in their path."

"They're gonna crash?" Jack questioned.

"They're gonna crash into us!" Miko shouted right after.

"What do we do?" Arcee asked, ignoring the kids' outbursts.

"There's not much we can do," Ratchet answered. "This base was built to survive anything humans could throw at it and while I have my doubts it can stand up against an impact with a Cybertronian construct it is safer to keep the children inside than to expose them to the crash. The heat from atmospheric entry alone could be devestating, much less the force of impact, and that's not even considering what sort of biohazards the ship might have picked up along it's travels."

"Then we remain here." The few weak protests made cut off as Optimus continued. "But prepare the groundbridge to transport the children to a safe location if it turns out to be necessary."

In a few quick keystrokes Ratchet had done just that and they were left to watching the screen in silence as the ship descended at an angle and speed that would worry even the most stupid of beings when it came to flight.

~~~~

Outside in the Nevada sky, an alien space ship screamed through the air, bits of hull occasionally breaking away to land some as far as a state away -all the extrenuous bits like communication cables and landing gear had burned up or broken off by the time the poor ship even hit the atmosphere. It was a lucky thing the ship hadn't caught fire yet, the 'crew' having found that the heat shielding was all but nonexistent after an almost too close brush around the solar system's sun.

And so the vessel screeched her death cry as the ground grew closer and closer, but so did a massive rock structure. There were many scattered around the area but none had been so important as this one because none of the others had been directly in the ship's path. And then something else broke within the ship's systems and the nose tipped a little more downwards. Not by much but the ground was suddenly approaching even faster and the rock formation a little slower. And all the while the ship screamed as the hull and any other exposed parts burned hot enough to warp and occasionally even melt the Cybertronian alloys.

And then the vessel plowed into the ground, the angle having changed just enough that it stopped just in front of the massive rock formation. After that there was a deafening silence, only broken by the occasional pop of overheated metal and crackle of fire as it ate through the last of exposed wiring before creeping inside the dying ship.

At least, it was silent until two figures emerged from a hidden entrance that was nearly buried between what remained of the ship and the desert ground. The first slipped out easily after fighting the door open and gave an exclamation of joy and success as the bot danced out of the way for the other bot to exit. When he too was outside, the second turned on the first.

"You said you knew how to land."

"I did and I did. Mostly."

"You crashed us."

"Was inevitable and I still made it a good landin'."

"Crashing does not consititute a "good" anything."

"Look, we survived in one piece, right?"

"What does tha-"

"Did we or didn't we?"

"Don't interrupt me."

"Then answer the question."

"Fine. Yes, we did. What of it?"

"Well, any landin' ya can walk away from counts as a good one. Even if ya crash. Heard it from a Seeker, a few actually, so it's gotta be true and that makes this a good landing."

The argument was interrupted by the sounds of a transformation and both turned in unison to see Optimus approaching, a tunnel neither had noticed now behind him in the rock. Quickly the second snapped into a proper salute stance.

"Reporting for duty, sir."

At the same time the other bot simply laughed. "Optimus! What're the odds a' runnin' into ya on a planet we only stopped on 'cause our fuel ran out?"

"Truely fortuitous I should hope," the Autobot leader replied with a slight smile before looking back to the first speaker. "Acknowledged, but you will find we have gone rather lax on protocol since landing on this planet." And then the prime's attention went to both bots again. "It is good to see both of you but I thought only my team was to travel to this sector. And when did the two of you start traveling together? Please don't tell me the Decepticons have secured a victory in Delta sector."

"Nothin' a' the sort. We-"

"We don't actually know. We missed our rendezvous with the last shuttles and had to find an alternate way off of Cybertron."

"I am genuinely surprised. It's not like you to be late for anything."

"I was distracted." This was delivered with a pointed stare at the other newcomer.

"'Ey, in my defense it was only supposed ta take a couple klicks. How could I a' known there would be 'Cons that found the place too?"

"In any case, we found an old ship in mostly functional condition and, after I was assured numerous times that someone knew how to fly it, we took off. The plan was to attempt to make contact with Springer's team once we were within range but we never encountered them. Shortly after leaving Cybertron's system there were a few... anomalies and we weren't entirely sure where we ended up."

"Well, welcome to Earth but we should take this conversation inside. Your arrival has likely caught the attention of the native species, and most certainly the Decepticon's, and we have not yet revealed ourselves to most of them. There are a few exceptions but you will hear about everything within the base. There is much to share, on both sides it would seem."

"Certainly, lead the way."

"Wait, inside?" A blue gaze darted to the tunnel that was now reopening. "Ya mean we landed almost literally at yer front door?"

"It would seem that way," Optimus answered before transforming and heading inside.

"Told ya I could make a good landing." This and a look was sent from one newcomer to the other.

"I still refuse to believe any crash is a good thing." And with that comment the speaker dropped into alt-mode and followed their leader inside. With a small huff of annoyance the third bot also changed forms and followed.

~

Within the base all three transformed and almost immediately Miko was pelting them with questions.

"Ooo! Is this what cars look like on Cybertron? So cool! So are you guys gonna be helping us kick some 'Con can? Do you even fight? How many battles have you been in?"

"You guys are Autobots?" Jack asked, noticing their faction marks. He spoke over Miko, though the girl continued her stream of questions regardless of the interruption.

"Jack, Miko." Optimus waited for the girl to silence herself, which happened almost immediately after he said her name. "Meet my second in command, Prowl, and my third, Jazz."

Each bot nodded when introduced but then Jazz dropped to the ground to be closer to level with the kids and started looking Miko over as she started in on her questions again. "I take it these are some a' those locals ya mentioned know we exist?" A nod from Optimus and he was asking another question. "Sure are excitable, aren't they?"

"Some of them, yes, but their personalities are as varied as our own from the few I have met."

Jazz nodded to the response before starting to answer some of Miko's questions, the discussion quickly spanning several topics almost at once.

"Oh good," Ratchet commented as he re-entered the room. "We might finally get some peace and order around here."

Optimus chuckled as he crossed the room to stand beside him. "Perhaps if it had been only Prowl, but with Jazz here as well things aren't likely to become dull anytime soon."

"How unfortunately true."

"Optimus?"

Both Optimus and Ratchet turned to Prowl, who had joined them by the console.

"I don't mean to interrupt but this is something of a time sensitive matter." A nod from the Prime had him continuing. "There are Decepticons here you said, yes? There is no better time than now to plant an agent in their forces."

"Easier said than done," Ratchet interjected. "Megatron himself has the Nemesis here, and Soundwave. There's no sneaking into their base and even if we could there's no way to assure getting our bot out. If they can even get a message to us that they need to get out."

"But we're not going to break in, we're going to have them pick up our agent."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"Simple. Our ship didn't have any faction ties and the few remaining supplies burnt up on entry so there's no way of knowing which side the survivors are on so if the Decepticons did pick up on our entry, and how could they not, they're sure to investigate as well, correct? Jazz does have a few Decepticon identies not yet offlined and with a native alt and slight change of paint scheme he could easily claim to be at least two of them."

"Have you even discussed this with him?"

"It is the job he joined the Autobots to do, but yes. While traveling several possible plans for various scenarios were discussed."

"Ya mean you prattled on worse than Bluestreak used ta fer most a' the trip." Jazz's comment from where he still sat talking with Miko was unexpected and shocked all three, one for different reasons.

"That was uncalled for."

"But true." He turned to Optimus then. "But yeah, if ya make the call and agree ta the mission I'm totally willing."

"Alright." Optimus waited until Jazz was seemingly fully focused on Miko again, then had to remind himself he'd thought as much before too. "Prowl, you can tell me your entire plan while I show you around the base and then I will have a decision in the morning."

Prowl nodded and followed Optimus out of the main room, thankful to be getting away without it looking like he was just running away.

~

It was the middle of the night and the base was silent. Almost everyone was in recharge, or at least their rooms, except Ratchet working at the console again and a lone bot sneaking through the base. There were several unused rooms but many still held what junk the humans had left when they abandoned the base and others were too small to fit most Autobots so personal quarters were spread throughout the base. The sneaking bot came up to one of those rooms, not his own, and rapped twice gently on the wall beside the door then waited a few seconds before entering.

"Prowl?" Jazz sat up on the berth and looked over. "Thought we were gonna keep us a secret still?"

"We are, but if Optimus does send you tomorrow I don't want to feel like we wasted our last night for some time by not spending it together."

"Won't the others notice somethin' weird with you bein' here?"

"They won't even know," Prowl answered with a shake of his helm. "I was careful and there's no cameras within the base. With only one ground entrance apparently there was no need to set any up and Ratchet mentioned the Decepticons don't even know where we are either. I just need to leave before morning and they'll be none the wiser."

"Alright, alright, I trust ya. Now get over here and tell me what's botherin' you. Yer doors are quivering and they only do that when yer talkin' about eveything but what you need to."

Prowl seemed caught between crossing the room into the waiting arms and doing just so and hanging back or even fleeing for a minute before he reluctantly spoke. "That was a low blow you know."

"Oh Primus, you think I don't know? I realized as soon as I said it that I never shoulda mentioned Blue. You wanted us to act antagonistic ta one another and I hadn't said anything in a while but I wasn' really thinkin' and it came out b'fore I could stop it. I hate myself fer doin' it so I understand if ya hate me too."

Sometime while Jazz was talking Prowl had joined him on the berth and they sat together wrapped in silence and one another's arms for a while. Eventually Prowl spoke though, just loud enough to be heard. "I don't hate you. I could never hate you. It just hurts so much to think about him and what happened and if you do go on this mission I might lose you too and that hurts just as badly to even consider."

"Hey now," Jazz responded, trying for an upbeat tone. "It takes so much to offline me that the Nemesis would have ta explode for it ta even be a possibility."

"Please don't joke about that right now."

"Ok," Jazz answered, the false cheer easily falling away, and he hugged Prowl tighter. "But if I do go down you know it's only gonna be fightin'."

"I know."

"Good. But I don't intend to be offlined. My cover is too good to get blown for that to be a situation."

"But Megatron is here. And Soundwave." The latter was mentioned almost more worriedly than the first. "All it takes is the smallest mistake at the wrong time and even a loyal Decepticon might get scrapped. The odds of you managing to avoid all confrontations without raising suspicion, much less injury-" He cut off when Jazz spoke again.

"Prowl. Love. Do me a favor and stop running the probabilities. It's only going to stress you out more. Just put half the faith you have in your calculations into my skills and let that guide your results."

"You make it sound as though I don't trust your abilities."

"You don't know the half of my abilities so how could you trust them?"

That got a weak laugh before a soft sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't intend tonight to be sad."

"It's ma own fault fer bein' stupid and not watching my words earlier. Only reason I didn't sneak ta yer room was 'cause I wasn't sure ya'd even want me around."

"I've never refused you."

"That's not the same as wanting me there, an' you only do that 'cause you couldn't get rid a' me if ya wanted."

"But I've never wanted to get rid of you. Except during some meetings but you hate those anyway."

"True, and am I ever glad I don' have ta be the boring one between us."

"You say boring, I say responsible."

The playful bickering fell easily between them now and the mood was quickly drawn back to sedate, if not happy, in the way only those truly, fully comfortable together can achieve with pointless conversation. Soon enough they were curled up together on the berth and far too soon for either of them they were both drifting into recharge.


End file.
